What Can Be Done For A Buffalo Hump When Liposuction Didn’t Work?

Q: I have a very noticeable buffalo hump and I have tried the traditional liposuction and it didn’t work. I just recently tried smart lipo and the Doctor said the area was too fibrous and he could not get the laser probe in. He said that there was too much scar tissue. My neck is still swollen since this procedure was just attempted several weeks ago. Are there any other solutions to get this buffalo hump off of me?

A: When neither liposuction option will work, there is always the traditional method of excision for the buffalo hump neck deformity. This is actually more effective than liposuction in terms of the amount of reduction because the buffalo hump is a different form of fat that is not as easily removed due to its natural more fibrous composition. But there is the trade-off of a midline scar from the nape of the neck down into the upper back to do the procedure. The length of the scar would be no longer than the vertical height (length) of the buffalo hump. There will also be a need for a drain after surgery as the tendency to form fluid collections (seromas) after open excision is quite high.

While this approach may leave a scar, this may now be a good alternative given that two attempts at ‘non-scar’ liposuction has not worked. It is a matter of trading off one deformity for the other. You have to decide whether the scar is a better ‘problem’ than the buffalo hump.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis Indiana